{"id":460805,"date":"2026-06-04T15:29:18","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T15:29:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/460805\/"},"modified":"2026-06-04T15:29:18","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T15:29:18","slug":"nasa-reverts-to-original-cld-procurement-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/460805\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA Reverts to Original CLD Procurement Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"

NASA will support free-flying commercial successors to the ISS, abandoning agency proposed changes to the acquisition plan, a spokesperson announced on Monday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIndustry has provided extensive feedback, making the case for a sustainable commercial market in which NASA is one customer among many, along with assurances regarding available transportation capabilities,\u201d Bethany Stevens wrote on X<\/a>. \u201cThe industry position will now shape the path forward as NASA proceeds with the original commercial strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n

How we got here: At NASA\u2019s Ignition event<\/a> in March, agency officials said they didn\u2019t believe there was a robust enough market in LEO to support free flying commercial space stations. As a result, the agency said it was considering scrapping its Commercial LEO Destination (CLD) plan to support at least one commercial station, pivoting to instead procure a \u201ccore module\u201d to be joined to the ISS, where commercial modules could also attach.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The idea was to offer a more incremental approach that would both reduce the chance of a US gap in LEO post-ISS, and give more time for the commercial market to develop.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, there was immediate blowback<\/a> from industry. Major CLD providers disputed NASA\u2019s claims about the lack of a market, and publicly made the case that the agency should support free flying commercial stations.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve flown 166 payloads to date. I think that\u2019s evidence of a market,\u201d Axiom Space CEO Jonathan Cirtain said in a press briefing in April. \u201cWe do that, and generate revenue and income as a consequence of those payloads.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next: We\u2019ll have more details on the path forward very soon. Stevens wrote on X that NASA will work with industry on specific requirements, with a draft RFP expected to be released this month.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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